Hand washing with innovation? Yes!

“Wash your hands!” How many times have you heard that? Hand washing is so important that we bring here the nicest innovation about it for you.

I am sure you have heard that thousands of times, from your mother who forbade you from having lunch with dirty hands to television ads that emphasize the benefits of hand washing with the soap that kills 99% of germs.

It’s true, hand washing is such a powerful weapon that the World Health Organization estimates that 70% of cases of hospital infection could be avoided if this procedure was adopted between the caring of a patient and another, and before performing any invasive procedure. More than 80% of infectious diseases are transmitted by the hands.

The network of hospitals Asiri, from Sri Lanka, in partnership with Leo Burnett, the advertising agency, created a way to alert the population about the importance of hand washing. The buses are the most widely used means of transport in the country and also one of the largest hubs of spread of germs among passengers. The innovation consists of a ticket for the bus made with infusion of soap. It is a very useful idea for 2 main reasons: first because it achieves the goal of hand washing in a cheap and efficient way and second, because it gives a new use for the bus ticket that would be thrown away generating waste. A print campaign complement was also conveyed to educate citizens.

Another innovative soap was created by two African students and was presented in a competition held by the University of Berkeley, California, where they won the 25,000-dollar prize. The prize will be used for the production of the product. Using ingredients of easy acquisition in the region, mostly herbs and shea butter, this soap is a repellent of malaria. Malaria is a disease that most kills in Africa. The product can be sold sometime this year and will be affordable to the population in need. To make things better, when this soap is used in the bath, the water gets the residual soap substances that prevents the development of larvae and mosquitoes.

Simple, cheap and accessible innovation, good for everyone. And it’s always good to remember, hand washing is never too much!

References: Hypeness, The Inspiration Room, Leo Burnett, Saúde Business, Grupo Mattos & Mattos